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Eyewitness to the gutting of TEN News

Out at TEN News are John Hill, Emma Dallimore, Ali Donaldson, Danielle Isdale, Mazoe Ford & Ellie Southwood.

2014-06-11_0032The fallout from TEN Eyewitness News redundancies is now being felt with confirmation that a number of well-known faces are out of the network.

Senior journalist John Hill, who was nominated for Walkley and Logie Awards for his headline-grabbing interview with political candidate Jaymes Diaz, has taken a redundancy package.

News Corp reports others to accept a package include senior reporter Ali Donaldson, network correspondent Danielle Isdale, court reporter Mazoe Ford and reporter Ellie Southwood.

TEN’s London and Los Angeles news bureaus will also close, affecting correspondents Ben Lewis, Lachlan Kennedy and Emma Dallimore.

Reporter Antoinette Lattouf is said to be joining SBS, where the News dept is headed up by former TEN News boss Jim Carroll.

TEN announced redundancies of around 150 in News and Operations last month, as Head of News and Current Affairs Peter Meakin expressed doubts that the network may not need an admiral ‘when they don’t have a fleet.’ But while some have volunteered for exit packages others will learn of their fate from today.

TEN’s Melbourne News Director Dermot O’Brien also resigned after 18 years with the network last month.

“It is not appropriate for us to comment on individual employees,” a TEN spokesman told News Corp.

Yesterday Seven confirmed a small number of job losses in its Sydney operations was coming in a restructure but is establishing an investigative unit under Max Uechtritz. It has also advertised 22 new positions around the country on its internal jobs notice board.

19 Responses

  1. Ten management have totally destroyed what was Ten’s strongest asset – news. Ten produce a superior hour long bulletin to 7 and 9, who have really struggled to put together a comprehensive 60 minute bulletin, especially 7. Management have effectively crippled the network and rather than looking at talent they should be looking in the mirror.

    Cancelling Wake Up was understandable. But destroying the newsroom is inexcusable. Especially after they had rebuilt after the last massacre.

    1. Actually Entertainment stories are filed for News programmes alongside those on Politics, Sport, Health, Finance, etc. Angela Bishop does these well and has excellent contacts. It’s possible to be upset about TEN cuts by management without taking it out on individual reporters who are clearly affected by seeing colleagues go. Direct said anger to the decision makers, I suggest.

  2. @maxxdude – Yes, as they all do. In TEN’s case take vision from CBS, or APTN or Reuters or CNN or BBC or Al Jazeera. If they need a “special” item covered that’s only relevant to Aust. they can have APTN, Reuters, CBS, CNN or a freelancer cover it. Much cheaper for virtually same result. They already do two-ways with CBS and CNN reporters.

  3. So what happens when a news story breaks in LA or London? Do they just take the story from CBS?
    Maybe ten can outsource their newsroom to another network like they do on radio.

  4. Really saddened by this. That seems to be about half of Tens Sydney reporters and just about all of their senior ones too. Wish them all well in their future.

  5. I would’ve taken a redundancy as well. The future of news at Ten is bleak. This is their chance to escape the sinking ship. Those journalists have done some great work so hopefully they’ll be in demand.

  6. A sad time for those suffering as a result of vested interests influences, and shame on those who wield their influence so hardheartedly on many experienced but now no doubt disillusioned staff and also on many of us( and lost) disappointed viewers.

    My predictions are that Sir Andrew Bolt will continue on network Ten with his ‘trade marked’ biased assessments and reporting of mostly political issues and resultant news events etc., which will always be on his “right side’ of ethics, and come election time ( or after any more of Mr Abbott and Co’s cruel policies), no doubt News Corp will be once again given ‘ Carte Blanche’ access sometimes very blatantly in News??? reports and sadly many times by innuendo and comedic comments scattered amid many programmes on Network Ten;s services.

  7. Looks like 10 are getting out of the news business all together, with all these drastic cuts. Hopefully some of these reporters will get jobs with other networks.

  8. Sounds like Ten are on the road to dumbing down the news, and have more articles cross promoting their reality programs …. expect to see news articles on Ten news promoting The Bachelor and Masterchef …….

  9. A truly sad day and situation at Ten News today. There is no doubt in my mind that TEN management are readying TEN for sale. It beggars belief that TEN are sacking so many good people with very little debt, and yet Nine which currently has debt levels nearing 1 billion seems to be going strength to strength. Just wish TEN management were more considerate and sell TEN ASAP so as to minimize the pain staff are going through.

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